Reclaiming Our House: Reflections on Liberation, Faith & White Victimhood
from the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective Board
Change is hard. We all know this, and we all have a particular relationship to change when it washes over all that we are and all that we do. In those moments when a shift is afoot, we have choices. And often those choices revolve around some measure of either staying the course and doing the emotional, physical, and spiritual work needed to move through the shift, or fighting tooth and nail to get around, reframe, or ignore that shift altogether. For those of us driven by a Unitarian Universalism that is transformative not static, relational and not individualistic, the invitation is always to do the hard work, not to ignore and evade.
So driven, we are called to speak truth in this moment in our faith. Because historically marginalized folks are no longer accepting a position as invited guests in the house of Unitarian Universalism, and are insisting upon recognition as architects of this faith, there is a coordinated effort on the part of those who discern this shift in power dynamics to hinder our movement and shift attention away from all the good that is being done to dismantle white supremacy in our midst. Black people are being harmed by it. All of us in our faith are being harmed by it. There are Black folks, Indigenous folks, and other People of Color in hostile congregational situations right now because of the continued circulation of white nationalist values masquerading as faithful witness in Unitarian Universalism. This harm persists, despite the countless times we have, in no uncertain terms, articulated the injurious and damaging nature of these efforts. White people in our supposedly shared faith still seem to have trouble believing our people, all the while touting achievements in anti-racism and hanging Black Lives Matter banners. This incongruity has got to stop!
Part of what’s happening is a failure of consistent and persistent work around faith and formation. That anyone can see the racist rhetoric promoted in some of our congregations as independent thinking and rigorous scholarship speaks to folks not really knowing what this faith is. The sources and contours of our faith decry allegiance to white nationalism and harmful rhetoric and behaviors meant to undermine the full humanity of all people. What we are experiencing in Unitarian Universalism is a microcosm of what’s happening in our larger world. When the current occupant of the White House came to power, it opened the floodgates of a certain kind of racist behavior because, if the person at the “top” could behave so badly, others have permission to do the same. When ministers, in particular, behave in ways that do a disservice to our faith, it is especially pernicious because folks believe they are living their faith by leaning into damaging rhetoric and behavior.
While we are called to acknowledge this truth, we also have a responsibility to keep it moving, despite these efforts, because our Unitarian Universalist faith remains a mighty river that continues to flow in a world where all of us are not yet free. There are amazing things happening in this faith, including the Get Out The Vote initiative, the Promise and the Practice campaign, which was recently successfully completed, the Actions of Immediate Witness, and the work of the Commission on Institutional Change. There is even a new People of Color Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association and deeper institutional support of Diverse & Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM). These are the initiatives that are actually in deep alignment with a faithful witness in Unitarian Universalism; these are the efforts that deserve our attention, elevation and celebration. The people engaged in this work are the people we should be talking about and building relationships with as we move toward a deeper commitment to living our faith in a challenging world.
To be clear, we knew this was coming. Coordinated White violence — both rhetorical and physical — always shows itself in response to Black and Brown self-determination. Its presence at this time in Unitarian Universalism actually confirms the criticisms and concerns of folks of color and white folks of conscience who have pointed to the current of white supremacy culture running through our institutions and attendant practices.
Even with all of that, we are still here! For too long being Black and UU has been measured by how much trauma and negativity we’ve experienced, and we are not here for that narrative anymore. Next up for us is the Harper-Jordan Memorial Symposium in St Paul, MN next month where we will Proclaim a Black UU Theology together with UUs of all colors from around the country.
We have work to do, lives to live, and a Unitarian Universalist faith that is strong enough to hold and sustain us, regardless of how much white noise may work to mask the hope and joy that emanate from justice-making and liberation THROUGH our faith. As the Rev. William G. Sinkford, one of our elders and newly appointed member of BLUU’s Advisory Team, once offered in a prayer:
We have only begun to imagine justice and mercy.
…
May we see the hope in our history,
and find the courage and the voice
to work for that constant rebirth
of freedom and justice.
That is our dream.
